LSSI - Day 2 - AM&PM
Continuing with the remainder of our morning at Norm’s Pond bird blind….
Anhinga
Great Egret
Word Stork flying in
For a flash of an instant…. the inside of the wings of the Word Storks reflected the green from the leaves and green tinge of color from the top of the stagnant water below - extraordinary.
Wood Stork flew in below us -
Once again - seeing a magnificent breeding Great Egret showing off -
Before we packed up to head back to the lodge - David snapped this of us in the blind with countless Great Egrets behind us
On our ride back we stopped and poked our heads in between some bushes to see this spectacular sight - I took this from a position down low and looking right into the sun.
And then it took flight …. and we finally made our way back to the lodge!
It was such a gorgeous day that we decided to head back out in the afternoon - this time to the beach. At about 2:00 we grabbed our bikes again and off we went. The protected beach area seems to go on endlessly - it was breathtaking to be on such a wide expanse of beach with only sand, surf, dunes, and birds.
It seemed like in an instant I spotted a plover further down the beach. I made my way down - this is my first ever sighting of a Wilson’s Plover! They are larger than a Piping Plover - they are about 7.5 - 8 inches long with a wingspan of about 19 inches.
I saw shadows up above and to my left - by the time I could focus on who was flying around this group of tree swallows had landed to my left! Even with all of the countless hours that I have spent on the beaches in Truro and Provincetown I have never been that close to tree swallows resting on the beach - this was such a thrill for me. Thankfully I had already been set up low - so I just stayed right where I was and I was mesmerized.
Just feet from me a Willet walked by -
The tree swallows were still resting… truly amazing
They quickly took flight - I was only able to focus on one of them
Staying in my same spot but now looking to my right - a Sanderling
And then who flew in as if I wasn’t there - a gorgeous American Oystercatcher! I immediately saw that this bird had been banded on its leg so I knew I would stay focused on him to try and get a better shot of the band - just in case someone from LSSI wanted to know that this guy was at the beach.
You know that I can’t pass up a resting Sanderling -
Finally got the shot I wanted - I hope that this shot helps anyone from the Audubon at LSSI to know that he/she is alive and doing well!
I believe this is a Forster’s Tern
That adorable Wilson’s Plover coming right towards me
And then the most amazing thing happened…. I heard the sound first - which made me look up. Countless, literally thousands, of tree swallows had filled the sky just beyond the dunes!! I quickly looked to my right to see David standing and also looking at this most amazing sight! I did the best that I could for you…. my last four shots from this remarkable day!
Hope Is The Thing With Feathers - Emily Dickinson
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
….